No other routine procedure carried out on horses has more impact on soundness and performance than hoof trimming and shoeing.¹

The main goals of hoof trimming are to promote the soundness of the hooves and the limbs, to support the biomechanical efficiency, and maintain functionality of the equine foot.^1,2 However, there is no agreement on how to achieve these goals. A wide range of trimming methods exists, and no other topic is so controversially and emotionally discussed as how to ideally trim the equine hoof.^3–5 This might be related to the fact that very limited scientific studies directly focused on the effect of hoof trimming on the biomechanics of the equine distal limb exist.

Literature shows that some studies have examined the effect of trimming on kinematic, kinetic, and morphometric parameters.^6–8 However, comparative studies, directly examining the influence of different trimming methods on static and dynamic mechanics of the equine toe, are missing. Moreover, no comprehensive…